Microsoft (MSFT 1.82%) is bringing back the Windows "Start" menu in the newest version of the operating system, TechCrunch reports. Fool contributor Tim Beyers explains why it's a smart move in the following video.
First, the change comes at a good time. Microsoft plans to stop supporting Windows XP machines next week, which means -- without an upgrade -- upwards of 15% of the worldwide installed base of Microsoft-powered PCs could be at risk as of April 8. Adding back the Windows "Start" menu gives those on the fence yet another reason to move to the latest edition now.
Meanwhile, those who've been with Windows for years are being actively enticed to cheaper options, such as Ubuntu Linux. Call it a tough squeeze in an already-tightening market. Researcher IDC says PC shipments fell 9.8% last year and should continue to decline through 2018.
There's also the cloud to consider. And Google's (GOOG 9.96%) (GOOGL 10.22%) increasingly beefy line of cheap Chromebooks, which the company is outfitting with free or cheap productivity software. Giving longtime Windows users a taste of the familiar may curtail defections as new CEO Satya Nadella figures out a strategy for stabilizing the $18 billion a year Windows business.
Now it's your turn to weigh in. Do you like Microsoft's move to bring back the Windows "Start" menu in version 8.1? Do you think it'll make a difference? Please leave a comment below to let us know what you think.
